Nostromo - A Tale of the Seaboard.pdf - Planet eBook

CHAPTER SEVENAT ABOUT that time, in the Intendencia of Sulaco,Charles Gould was assuring Pedrito Montero, who hadsent a request for his presence there, that he would neverlet the mine pass out of his hands for the profit of a Governmentwho had robbed him of it. The Gould Concessioncould not be resumed. His father had not desired it. The sonwould never surrender it. He would never surrender it alive.And once dead, where was the power capable of resuscitatingsuch an enterprise in all its vigour and wealth out ofthe ashes and ruin of destruction? There was no such powerin the country. And where was the skill and capital abroadthat would condescend to touch such an ill-omened corpse?Charles Gould talked in the impassive tone which had formany years served to conceal his anger and contempt. Hesuffered. He was disgusted with what he had to say. It wastoo much like heroics. In him the strictly practical instinctwas in profound discord with the almost mystic view hetook of his right. The Gould Concession was symbolic ofabstract justice. Let the heavens fall. But since the San Tomemine had developed into world-wide fame his threat hadenough force and effectiveness to reach the rudimentary intelligenceof Pedro Montero, wrapped up as it was in thefutilities of historical anecdotes. The Gould Concession wasa serious asset in the country’s finance, and, what was more,